A third candidate has made his formal announcement after qualifying to run for the Georgia House District 22 seat now held by Rep. Sam Moore (R-Canton).

Woodstock resident Wes Cantrell, 52, is the Young Adult Pastor at Woodstock First Baptist and said in making the announcement he sent to the Tribune that he looks forward to serving the community.

“A foundation of public service runs strong in this community, and I’m eager to explain my vision for ensuring that the legacy continues in House District 22,” said Cantrell. “From the late Calvin Hill to the current crop of leaders that represent Cherokee, Forsyth, and Fulton Counties in their respective districts, we have a clear precedent for what this community deserves from their representative.”

The seat is also being sought by Meagan Biello, who ran against Moore in the February special election to fill the seat vacated when Hill died late last year.

Cantrell is helping lead more than 1,500 members in his ministry, he said in his release. His service at the church follows years of different ministries and educational environments that have demonstrated Cantrell’s strong public service roots.

He and his wife, Jane, were one of three families that started The King’s Academy in Cherokee County, a faith-based hybrid school, he said. Cantrell also taught health education at 27 public schools in the Cobb County School District as well as teaching character education to students at three public high schools in Cobb, he said.

“My mother served on the Georgia Board of Education in the 1980s, and my father started as a copier repairman and spent his entire career at Lanier Worldwide. He eventually became the CEO of the $1.4 billion company which he helped to build. My grandfather was the principal and my grandmother a teacher at the school in the Free Home community back in the early 1930s. My life is centered on an appreciation of the simple truth that all people are worthy of being served. I intend to campaign like that. I intend to serve like that,” Cantrell said.

The Republican Primary takes place May 20 with a possible runoff on July 22.

“My wife and I made the final decision to run on the last day of qualifying, but that does not mean we decided on a whim. We prayed, sought the wisdom of our pastor and others, and discussed what this would mean prior to ever making the decision together that I would run for office. After considering all the possibilities, we concluded that running for this office is a wise decision. I’m ready to continue building on the legacy of our former leaders for future generations,” he said in his release

Cantrell has lived in Woodstock for 22 years and was born in Augusta and raised in Sandy Springs, where he graduated from Riverwood High School. He and his wife have four children: two sons, a daughter and a daughter-in-law.

He has served on the Board of Life Resources of Georgia, which provides training and financial support for pregnancy centers all over the state that provide counseling and services to mothers in order to save the life of the unborn, he said.

Cantrell holds a bachelor of science degree from Georgia Tech in Industrial Management and a masters of divinity from Southwestern Seminary. For more information, visit http://cantrellforhouse.com.

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